Partnership award bestowed on OCM BOCES, Cortland Regional Medical Center

Partner of the Year Award: Left to right: Phil Grome, director of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Program at OCM BOCES; Bonnie Georgia Griffith, director of marketing and communications for the Cortland Regional Medical Center; Scott Mayberry, director of rehabilitation services for the Cortland Regional Medical Center; OCM BOCES Assistant Superintendent Colleen Viggiano, who oversees student programs; OCM BOCES CTE Principal Chris DiFulvio, who works at the OCM BOCES McEvoy campus; and Joe Vargo, executive director of Partners for Education and Business.

Cortland Regional Medical Center and OCM BOCES honored for school-business partnership

Syracuse, NY – The Cortland Regional Medical Center and the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (OCM BOCES) were honored recently as “Partners of the Year” for a job-shadowing program that exposes students to medical-related fields during their senior year.

     The award was presented by the not-for-profit group Partners for Education & Business (PEB) during its annual breakfast awards ceremony June 8 at LeMoyne College in Syracuse. The primary goal of PEB, which includes a broad representation of business and educational leaders, is to promote workforce development of our youth, especially in large growth areas such as healthcare.
     Cortland Regional Medical Center has opened its doors to OCM BOCES students for the past 24 years through the New Vision Medical Professions Program, which draws in seniors from eight surrounding school districts to explore the hospital community and shadow professionals in their clinical rotations.
     In addition to job shadowing, students use an on-site classroom to learn about educational theory, medical ethics, government regulations and patient rights, among other topics.
     “Our partnership with Cortland Regional is invaluable,” said Christopher DiFulvio, principal of the Career & Technical Education Program at the OCM BOCES Charles H. McEvoy campus in Cortland. “Nothing beats the opportunity for students to stand side-by-side with working professionals so they can see for themselves – and decide for themselves – if these are the opportunities they want to pursue.”
     Scott Mayberry, director of rehabilitation services for the Cortland Regional Medical Center, said the medical center is more than happy to accommodate students, who bring a special “energy and enthusiasm to the hospital environment.”
     “We are delighted to play a role in educating and inspiring future healthcare professionals,” he said. “It is a priceless opportunity to show these motivated students the many life-changing rewards of helping others. Working with these students is working with the future.”
     Representatives from OCM BOCES and the Cortland Regional Medical Center attended the awards ceremony. Attending for the medical center were Mayberry and Bonny Georgia Griffith, director of marketing and communications. Attending for OCM BOCES were DiFulvio; Assistant Superintendent Colleen Viggiano, who oversees student programs; and Career & Technical Education Director Phil Grome.
     In addition to the business partnership award, PEB also recognized several OCM BOCES who were nominated for Student of the Year. They included:

Gracie Bartholomew, a Tully student in the Health Occupations Program at the McEvoy campus. The program allowed Bartholomew to work at a nursing home and earn her Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN) degree. She also earned credits toward a college degree.
Cayla Burton, a North Syracuse student in the business-embedded Physical Therapy Program at the OCM BOCES Henry E. Irving campus in Syracuse, which allowed her to complete more than 64 hours of observation in physical therapy professions. She will be attending Keuka College in the fall as an occupational therapy student.
Isaac Cline, a Homer student in the Welding Technology Program at McEvoy. Cline worked two years in the program to learn several welding processes and served as a leader during a recent class project that required design, fabrication, layout and welding. He plans to attend Alfred State in the fall for welding.
Rebecca Hartquist, a Homer student in the Cosmetology Program at McEvoy. Hartquist has been enrolled in the program since 2014 and has excelled on every level. She plans to major in business at SUNY Morrisville while continuing to pursue cosmetology after high school through her current job at with Joseph Anthony salon.
Samantha Lamica, a North Syracuse student in the Laboratory Tech Program at the Henry campus in Syracuse. Lamica has worked as a labware technician at Enalytic Labs in East Syracuse since September 2015 and is planning a career in the Navy.
Colbie Lockwood, a Cortland student in the Automotive Collision program at the McEvoy campus. Lockwood excelled in the program, passed several ASE academic examinations and is expected to pass the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute exams, which will give him a CTE endorsement on his Regents diploma. He is pursuing a career in welding technology.
Heather Wilson, a North Syracuse student in the Physical Therapy Program at the Henry campus. Wilson completed more than 67 hours of observation in physical therapy professions and will be attending Daemon College in the fall as a physical therapy student.
Johnathon Wood, a DeRuyter student in the Culinary Arts Program at McEvoy. Wood excelled academically in the program and works as a pastry chef at the Brewster Inn in Cazenovia. He plans to attend the Culinary Institute of America for bakery and pastry arts and food service management.

OCM BOCES Student of the Year Nominees: Left to right: Johnathan Wood, a culinary student from DeRuyter schools; Heather Wilson, a physical therapy student from North Syracuse schools; Gracie Bartholomew, a health occupations student from Tully schools; Samantha Lamica, a laboratory tech student from North Syracuse schools; Cayla Burton, a physical therapy student from North Syracuse schools; Isaac Cline, a welding student from Homer schools; and Rebecca Hartquist, a cosmetology student from Homer schools. Missing from the photo is Colbie Lockwood, an automotive technology student from Cortland schools.

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